Risk of losing summer-autumn rice crop due to planthoppers in Ky Son border commune

(Baonghean.vn) - Currently, summer-autumn rice in Ky Son district is being damaged by many types of pests at high density and on a large scale, especially brown planthoppers and white-backed planthoppers.

In the summer-autumn crop of 2017, farmers in the border commune of Na Loi, Ky Son district, planted over 81 hectares of rice. Most of the rice fields in the commune were damaged by brown planthoppers and white-backed planthoppers. Photo: Lu Phu

Because the agricultural calendar in Ky Son is usually 10-15 days later than in the lowland districts, the rice plants in Ky Son are currently entering the final tillering stage, preparing to form ears.

However, according to households in Na Loi commune, after planting, in early August when the rice plants were in a good growth period, many brown planthoppers appeared, causing damage and affecting the growth and development of the rice plants.

Brown planthopper density is from 100 - 200 individuals/m2, high places from 800 - 1,000 individuals/m2, even locally up to 1,500 individuals/m2Photo: Lu Phu

"This is the first year my family's rice fields have been damaged by planthoppers. Every year without pests, the rice is very good and the yield is quite high. This year, there is a very high risk of crop failure," said Ms. Pit Thi Thanh, Na Loi village, Na Loi commune.

The family of Mrs. Lay Thi Phuong, in the same village of Na Loi, has more than 5 sao of rice, which is also at risk of being completely lost due to the white-backed planthopper. Mrs. Phuong said that she has never seen such a pest that causes the rice plants to turn yellow and become stunted like this year. "I don't know if there will be any rice left to harvest" - Mrs. Phuong sighed.

In the summer-autumn crop of 2017, farmers in the border commune of Na Loi, Ky Son district, planted over 81 hectares of rice, with three varieties: Thien Uu 888, Ha Noi sticky rice and local rice. During the care process, people in the villages of Na Loi, Na Khuong, Pieng Lau, Huoi Ngoi and Don Bong discovered brown planthoppers and white-backed planthoppers causing damage and killing some rice areas, with a common density of 100 - 200 individuals/m², high places from 800 - 1,000 individuals/m², even locally up to 1,500 individuals/m².

People are instructed to actively spray pesticides. Photo: Lu Phu

Mr. Kha Van Then - Secretary of the Party Cell of Na Loi village, Na Loi commune shared: "Brown planthoppers have only appeared this year, I don't know if it's due to heavy rain or not. More than 30 hectares of rice in the village are heavily infected. However, because the pesticides are supplied in batches, they cannot be sprayed en masse at once...".

Currently, due to the changing weather, heavy rain, strong sunshine, high humidity in the air, it is suitable for the spread and emergence of pests. If not sprayed promptly and properly, the disease will spread, even risking burning many rice fields at this stage. Currently, the Na Loi commune government has mobilized forces and people to go to the fields to spray pesticides.

According to the forecast of the Plant Protection Station of Ky Son district, in the coming time, brown planthoppers and white-backed planthoppers will continue to increase in both scope and level of damage. If pesticides are not sprayed to eradicate them, the risk of total loss is a foreseeable reality. Photo: Lu Phu

According to the report of the Plant Protection Station of Ky Son district, most of the rice fields in the district are infected with planthoppers, concentrated in the communes of Na Loi and Nam Can. More seriously, in the coming time, brown planthoppers and white-backed planthoppers will continue to increase in both scope and level of damage. Many areas with high planthopper density will cause "planthopper fire" if timely spraying is not organized.

To save the district's summer-autumn rice crop from the risk of total loss, the district Plant Protection Station has issued an official dispatch requesting the People's Committees of communes to direct the commune agricultural committees and village management boards to closely monitor the fields, divide the areas and organize instructions for people to spray and promptly suppress the epidemic to prevent the spread of pests and diseases locally throughout the district./.

Lu Phu